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National clinical directors

Professor Bob Fryer CBE, National Director for Widening Participation in Learning

Last modified date:

2 March 2007

Professor Bob Fryer CBE is the National Director for Widening Participation in Learning at the Department of Health.

In his role, Bob has responsibility for:

• devising, leading and supporting the implementation of a strategy to open up access to learning and employment in NHS professions

• widening participation in learning for NHS staff who are currently excluded from learning

• stimulating learning for all across the NHS.

Prior to taking up his current post on secondment, Bob was the founding Chief Executive of NHSU from February 2002 to February 2005. In its first full year of operations in 2004-05, NHSU provided learning opportunities and support to 75,000 NHS staff.

Before joining the NHS, Bob was Assistant Vice Chancellor at the University of Southampton and Director of New College, a post he occupied from 1998 to 2002.

Prior to that, Bob was Principal of the Northern College for Residential Adult Education for 15 years. Between 1999 and 2001 he was on secondment to Ufi Ltd as an Executive Director and Board member.

Bob is currently a Director of Investors in People UK and Chair of the Learning and Skills Council's Distributed and Electronic Learning Group. He is also Chair of the Defense Education and Skills Advisory Board.

Bob was, for four years, a founder member of the national Learning & Skills Council and chaired the government's National Advisory Group for Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning.

He was also a member of the Moser Committee on Adult Basic Skills and of the Policy Action Team on Skills for Neighbourhood Renewal. He is also a former Chair of the Board of Careers England.

Bob was awarded a CBE for services to Community Education in the 1999 New Years Honours.